That evening, Song Fei found his brother-in-law, and after a discussion, one would provide the manor, and the other would provide the silver. As long as the Empress taught them the method of growing ginseng, the profits would be split three ways.
The Empress would still take fifty percent of the profit, and the remaining would be divided equally between the two of them.
“Brother-in-law, do you think the Empress will agree?”
Fang Mingjiang shook his head. How could he possibly know?
Besides, he wasn’t the Empress’s inner confidant, nor could he divine the future.
“Whether she agrees or not, we’ll know once we ask?” Fang Mingjiang said.
Without another word, Song Fei grabbed his dazed brother-in-law and they left the room, heading straight for the Emperor and Empress’s chambers.
Upon opening the door and seeing the two of them, Zhao Jiaqi immediately guessed their intentions.
The ginseng plantation and the Ganoderma lucidum plantation were finalized in this small inn between the three of them.
After the two court ministers left, Fan Zehao, holding her hand, said unhappily, “Since you know how to cultivate them, why not do it yourself? Why involve them? Don’t forget, these two are important officials. Don’t get addicted to making money and resign your posts. Won’t Yun Kingdom lose two capable ministers then!”
“If the Emperor cannot retain worthy ministers, it is the Emperor’s incompetence. What does it have to do with me!”
Fan Zehao’s expression changed. After a moment, he grinned and said, “Anyway, I have already abdicated. If Huangfu Xian cannot retain capable ministers, it truly has nothing to do with us!”
If he could attract all the capable ministers of the court to his side and have them do business with him, then they wouldn’t have to exert themselves, and others would help them earn money. Wouldn’t they be able to make money just by lying down?
Just thinking about that kind of life was simply too wonderful.
Lingnan City was a place with developed transportation.
It was a bustling city, a crucial hub for both water and land transport, with routes extending in all directions.
No wonder there were so many wealthy families. Even if their money was robbed, they were unwilling to leave.
After browsing Lingnan Prefecture for a few days, Zhao Jiaqi found it to be a very suitable place to build workshops and establish a transit point. It could connect to the southeast, northwest, and north, with short transport times. Furthermore, there were many merchants here, which she saw as a rich tapestry of opportunities.
Returning to the inn, before she could even instruct Song Fei to buy a property, she saw him walking in with Fang Mingjiang, grinning, and handing her a deed to a property: “Your Highness, a three-courtyard property, acquired without spending money. It was a gift from the new prefect of Lingnan Prefecture, who said it was the previous prefect’s retirement home!”
Fang Mingjiang heard his brother-in-law’s playful explanation and quickly lowered his head, instinctively touching his nose.
Calling a place used to keep a mistress a retirement home, his elder brother truly dared to say anything. If the Empress found out he had been deceived, she wouldn’t let him off!
He really wanted to cover his ears, lest he be implicated.
Zhao Jiaqi took the deed, scanned the name on it, and a smile curved her lips. A retirement home?
The items plundered from the former prefect’s five-courtyard residence were enough to build a super luxurious villa. If he didn’t retire or enjoy himself in a luxurious five-courtyard mansion, why would he go to a three-courtyard house to retire?
She didn’t believe it for a moment!
However, adhering to the principle that what one obtained should not be wasted, Zhao Jiaqi not only accepted it but also gave Song Fei another task: “I remember the former prefect’s five-courtyard residence was quite large. It might not be as comfortable as the palace, but it’s better than this small house. I want that residence. I’ll move in tonight. Go and arrange it!”
Song Fei was stunned. He never expected Her Highness to pull such a trick.
“Oh, right. Since the prefect was so generous in giving you this three-courtyard property, I assume the five-courtyard residence won’t cost you any silver. Exchange the deed, and I’ll treat you to a meal at the new residence tonight. There’s good news!”
Zhao Jiaqi’s supplementary words had originally made Song Fei’s brow furrow. He was contemplating whether this constituted embezzlement and whether he should spend money to buy it. Just as he was in a dilemma, he suddenly heard Her Highness mention good news.
Immediately, he perked up. Her Highness’s good news was definitely related to money!
He no longer agonized over whether it was embezzlement. After all, the property was sitting idle. He would consider the five-courtyard residence as a royal villa. Since it had already been confiscated, how it was used was up to him!
With him, the Minister of Revenue, and the Minister of Personnel, standing before the new prefect with a serious demeanor, it took less than fifteen minutes to transfer the luxurious mansion to Zhao Jiaqi’s name.
They moved into the luxurious residence in the afternoon. The maids and guards busied themselves with cleaning, tidying up every nook and cranny. When the master was happy, the servants beneath could only feel at ease.
At the dinner table, Zhao Jiaqi watched the two ministers grinning and staring at her fixedly, causing her husband to drink vinegar heavily.
She put down her chopsticks and wiped the oil from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. She stopped teasing them.
She said seriously, “My sausage workshop is quite far away, and it spoils easily in the summer, making it impossible to transport. Therefore, for long-term planning, I intend to build a sausage workshop and a cured meat workshop here!”
Only in this way, shortly after the sausages were made, could they be sent to other towns through this well-connected transit point, sold in more places, and enjoyed by more people.
They both knew about sausages and cured meats. They were delicious, but they couldn’t be eaten until summer, and were only available in winter, and were quite expensive.
Buying them required queuing and pre-ordering!
Song Fei’s mind was sharp. He immediately suggested, “Your Highness, this place is prosperous. Why not build the workshop larger? If possible, also establish a farm for self-production and self-consumption to save money!”
“Big brother is right. We can’t just raise pigs. We should raise more chickens, ducks, geese, and sheep. Their eggs can be made into those dark, unappetizing-looking preserved eggs, or roasted duck eggs, salted duck eggs, salted goose eggs, and the like. These can be sold to restaurants or farmhouses, which would also be a considerable income for our workshop. As for those that don’t lay eggs, they can be sold, which is also income!”
Look at them. These ministers were losing money by not being in business!
Were they not learning this instinctively?
Zhao Jiaqi waved her hands at the two of them and also warned those below, “The current Emperor is Huangfu Xian. From now on, everyone must remember clearly, do not call him by the wrong title. From now on, call my husband Master Fan, and me Madam Fan. Remember!”
Song Fei and Fang Mingjiang exchanged glances. They did not believe that Huangfu Xian would ascend the throne. At present, the palace had not issued any imperial edict, so at this moment, the Emperor was still Fan Zehao.
However, outside the palace, referring to them as Emperor and Empress was indeed inappropriate. Everyone present agreed with this statement.
“Yes, Master, Madam, your subordinates remember!”
They only remembered the titles outside the palace. As for state affairs, the Prime Minister would still send news to Fan Zehao, and Song Fei and Fang Mingjiang would continue to discuss important matters with the Emperor.
As for the princes Huangfu Xian and Huangfu Xu, they were at that time already on their way to Zongsheng Country, enjoying the scenery.